Just a heads up, the Amazon Echo is now available to pre-order in the UK. £149 or £99 with prime.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazon-SK70.../dp/B01GAGVIE4
Just a heads up, the Amazon Echo is now available to pre-order in the UK. £149 or £99 with prime.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazon-SK70.../dp/B01GAGVIE4
These intrigue me. I'm all for home automation but I'm going to hold off for a bit and see how they work in the real world.
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I like the look of these, would probably only need the Dot for £50
Shame it doesn't integrate with and Apple services (Apple Music for example) otherwise it would be a great addition as it controls hue lights
I'm going to grab one to control my lights, heating, logitech harmony and wemo plugs. Does anyone know if it links to your prime account in any way or is it standalone? I was going to ask my uncle if he could grab it on his prime. Otherwise I may as well get prime for a year.
It links to the Amazon account you use when you first set it up via the app on your phone. You should be fine getting on your uncles Prime account, however you will lose the Amazon music streaming facility without your own Prime account.
beerman (15th September 2016)
Just bought one too. A final attempt to wife (idiot) proof the TV setup. It's a long held dream.
MHP (15th September 2016)
Gonna wait to see the price of google's google home.. hopefully more info next month
I'm all for home automation but not with a major tech giant such as Amazon or Google. They have too much information on people as it is...
Cyberdyne Systems anyone?
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Ashley (15th September 2016)
Yep, pre-ordered yesterday for £99. Hopefully will control the Phillips lighting in the kitchen too.
I looked at this and first reaction was "Me likey". I'm usually a fucker for tecchie gadgets, but this time I've reigned myself in.
My PC's have Cortana, My phone has voice commands as does my car and I don't use any of them, so I think that if I bought an Echo, it would just end up as a bookend.
Ashley (15th September 2016)
I can see your point, however the Echo and Googles offering are a must if your controlling home automation kit. I have Philips Hue lights and a Nest thermostat and the Echo hopefully works with them. It will be interesting to see if this works with LightwaveRF switches.
https://youtu.be/V7WfxI3ecVI
If I can get any where near this guys set up I will be a happy bunny.
stevo25 (16th September 2016)
Ordered an Echo (for the £99) and a Dot.
I have been waiting literally for years for these to be released over here. I am currently putting together a Pi with Alexa installed because I am so impatient.
Now I need to start automating the home properly. Already got Hive and a load of wireless plugs, problem is they are different brands.
Therefore I am hoping I can either use some sort of MQ to deal with them (with IF) or get the API's direct from the manufacturers.
Either way, in the long term I will probably pick a known brand and gradually replace them all.
Even the wife is impressed by what they can do! Going to have it set up so that when my footy team scores Alexa will give a little shout out etc..
Okay, mine arrived on the 28th as promised. Great packaging and the echo has a nice quality feel to it. Set up was a little tricky as the Echo doesn't play nice with BT home hubs. Philips Hue basic integration works fine and simple commands work well. However this UK version of the Echo is crippled at the moment. It's been out in the US for 2 years and the "skills" (Alexa Apps) are mostly US centric and don't work over here yet. The biggest omission is the lack of UK IFTTT support, this is the real kicker for me and reduces the Echo's usefulness to 20% of what it should be. Amazon seems to of rushed this out in anticipation of Google's home product release.
I Black Belt (1st October 2016)
Very impressed so far with the Echo, it understands most of what I say.
Have ordered the Hue Starter Kit for £59 (2 bulbs and a wifi hub) and will get another bulb for the outside light as they are only £15 for the standard white. I think with time the UK will catch up with US Echo. All in all very happy with it atm. Some of the skills apps apps are funny (20 questions and HAL).
I see Amazon have launched their own rival to Spotify that has a $3.99 a month "Echo only" service. Will be interesting to see what content there is. Think there's a 30 day free trial so I might give that a go.
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We were using the Echo within minutes of unpacking. It's an essential part of our kitchen now blasting out tunes or nursery rhymes.
Tells me the news, schedule! Honestly how did we live without it.
The next part is home automation. I have so many different wifi plugs, all of which are not really compatible unless I use IFTTT. Problem is IFTTT is not available in the UK yet..
I think I might flog them parts and get the Belkin stuff that plays nicely. Then grab some bulbs to put into the floor lamps.
The biggest issue for my with ceiling lights is that you lose the light switch. Until they make light switches I will not jump on board the ceiling lights just yet.
Got a dot coming next week, I think longer term I will end up with two Echo's and multiple Dots.
I am going to build my own Pi Alexa as I invested in the bits and I have a Pebble Core coming in January.
Won't be long before Alexa takes over!
Last edited by Squizza; 14th October 2016 at 09:06 AM.
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